Albion on the brink of promotion but it looks bad for Saints

The Northern Ireland international kept his cool six minutes from time to rescue a point for Albion after the relegation-haunted Saints threatened a major upset.

Nineteen-year-old Adam Lallana netted with virtually his first touch of the ball after coming on as a late second-half substitute. His magnificent finish — across Dean Kiely from an acute angle — silenced a capacity crowd who were ready to party.

But Brunt fired through Richard Wright's legs to equalise after his manager Tony Mowbray went for broke in the dying stages, throwing on three forwards, and the supporters erupted in jubilation.

The late strike means that only a 13-goal swing in Hull City's favour during the final round of fixtures will deny West Bromwich their third elevation to the elite since Gary Megson managed the feat six years ago.

Mowbray said: "We've been called the best footballing team in the league. Great credit to the players and we are almost there. They should enjoy the moment.

"And they are. But they want to win the league. That's a pretty strong feeling in that dressing room."

It all looked to be going horribly wrong for the hosts when Lallana, an England Under 19 international, scored just two minutes after Nigel Pearson decided to throw him into the action.

West Bromwich had shown no sign of nerves throughout an evening that promised plenty. They laid siege to Wright's goal after the interval and were unfortunate not to draw first blood.

However, with the crowd clock-watching, Lallana sprinted on to Jermaine Wright's pass and fired home a low shot. The Saints fans went as wild as Albion's did just seven minutes later.

If Lallana's goal had turned out to be the winner, Southampton would have jumped two points clear of Leicester City leaving their destiny in their own hands on Sunday against Sheffield United.

However, Albion substitute Luke Moore set fellow sub Bednar off down the right. His centre was missed by Southampton's hastily retreating defence and the third sub, Brunt, controlled before swinging his trusty left foot.

"How we never scored in that 20-minute spell after half-time, I'll never know," added Mowbray. "But they scored on the break and perhaps you think it's going to be one of those nights. The positives are that we have quality on the bench. Sometimes that's the difference in this league."

Pearson will draw great heart from the manner in which his team scrapped. They came into this game having conceded more goals away from home than any other in the Championship.

"I think it would have been nice to have held on," said Bryan Robson's former assistant manager at The Hawthorns. "But it wasn't to be.

"From their point of view I think they will say they had enough pressure and enough chances to have got something out of the game. Of course, in the context of what we are about, a win would have been priceless.

"A point enables us to have more of a fighting chance. Just because it brings two more teams into the equation. Had we lost it would have been one from three."

In the end, it was a victory for softly spoken Teessider Mowbray, who has never compromised his desire to play football. Albion's elevation will be seen by many as a victory for the football purist.

Their manager has stuck to his principles in a division not known for its finesse and there will be many on Tuesday morning in the game happy that someone who is so adamant in his beliefs has been rewarded with a place in the elite.

Teetotaller Mowbray was planning a typically downbeat celebration. "There's some chocolate in the fridge in my office," he said.

"I'll probably have a cube or two of that to celebrate. It's fruit and nut. A supporter bought it for me. After tonight, it's quite appropriate, I think."